Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. His TDIU claim remains pending and requires issuance of a statement of the case.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for bilateral hearing loss and a right knee disability, expressing satisfaction with the recent favorable decision of the RO. The Board has no further jurisdiction in these matters.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and a VA addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's knee disabilities and his service-connected back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for myositis of the right leg/knee, right ankle disorder, and bilateral knee disorder are not substantiated as they are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service. The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is also not considered to aggravate these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support earlier effective dates prior to January 14, 2014, for the grant of service connection for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right knee patellar chondromalacia with patellofemoral syndrome. The Veteran's hemorrhoids were rated as noncompensable.

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and issuing an SOC in the matter of service connection for palatal myoclonus.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the left knee and left leg have been rated as 10 percent since October 1944. Effective July 16, 2015, the rating has been increased to 20 percent.

The case is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development. The appellant and his representative will be given an opportunity to respond.

The Veteran's appeals seeking ratings in excess of 10 percent for left knee and right ankle disabilities have been dismissed due to his abandonment. The propriety of the reduction in the rating assigned for headaches is remanded, as are issues regarding TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete development ordered in a previous May 2015 decision. The earlier effective date claims and service connection claims are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, kidney disorder, left leg disorder, and various other conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The Veteran's diabetes was not incurred in service and her kidney and left leg disorders are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right big toe and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding medical records and arranging for VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis status post total knee arthroplasty is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis. The rating for the right knee disability remains at 30 percent prior to October 30, 2012, and a separate 10 percent rating has been granted for instability of the right knee since that date.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right knee disabilities have been denied. The highest ratings available under the applicable diagnostic codes are assigned.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his right ankle disability and service-connected right knee and right hip disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are necessary to address the Veteran's service connection claims and her increased rating claim for left ankle disability. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine the current severity of her service-connected left ankle disability, as well as to assess whether any diagnosed cervical spine, right hip, bilateral knee, or right leg disabilities are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 10 percent for arthritis and 20 percent for the residuals of meniscectomy, resulting in a combined rating of 30 percent. The claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed iliotibial band syndrome of the right knee is related to his service-connected low back disability with right lower extremity radiculopathy, weakness and atrophy.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings for left and right knee DJD, as well as lumbar spine DDD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for these conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since October 1, 2014. The rating is based on arthritis and symptomatic residuals of a meniscectomy.